Why expectations should be tempered for Penn State Football tight ends

Conclusion

Penn State Football currently has two highly recruited and talented tight ends in Theo Johnson (4-star – No. 3 TE – No. 72 Overall) and Brenton Strange (4-star – No. 14 TE – No. 352 Overall) along with one of the more versatile players in college football with Tyler Warren (3-star – No. 22 TE – No. 554 Overall).

They also signed Jerry Cross (4-star – No. 9 TE – No. 242 Overall) in the stellar 2022 class. And along with the recent commitments of Andrew Rappleyea (4-star – No. 15 TE – No. 261 Overall) and Joey Schlaffer (3-star – No. 29 TE – No. 523 Overall) in the 2023 class, James Franklin and company have made it a priority to continue to heavily recruit the tight end position.

So let’s grab the boat’s wheel and steer this article back to the main point. Should Penn State Football fans expect to see much in terms of opportunities (ie. Sean Clifford looking in the general direction of the tight ends) and production from the tight ends?

In my opinion, the tight ends should absolutely, 100% be a big part of the offense. I know both Johnson and Strange had ill-timed cases of the “dropsies” last season, but I have confidence in them to improve.

They are both massive-bodied people who can run like gazelles and they can be the perfect recipe for alleviating any lingering offensive line woes along with giving Sean Clifford a boost of confidence.

And you can line up Tyler Warren at almost any position on offense. Whether he’s the one throwing the ball or running it or catching it, he should be utilized whenever and wherever possible.

Plus, the wide receiver corps will be without Jahan Dotson. Getting the tight ends involved will be beneficial in helping ease any added pressure on them.

So all of the points made here can be drawn to one, simple conclusion. The tight ends should be involved early and they should be involved often.

However, the mountain of numbers presented above not only made your eyeballs bleed, but they also tell a pretty telling story.

Which is the fact Mike Yurcich does not directly use the tight end position in his offense for production. And if you think you’re going to see a massive difference in the 2022 season, then you better temper your expectations.